The fermented food “Doenjang” is composed predominantly of soybeans. It is made by fermenting boiled soybeans in brine. It is one of Korea's representative traditional foods, dating back to ancient times and is in the form of soybean paste. Hereinafter it is referred to as “the soybean paste.”
Based on soybeans, the fermented food is rich in various nutrients including proteins, carbohydrates and lipids. With abundant nutrients, the soybean paste itself has been used as a seasoning in addition to as a main food material, especially as a protein source.
Typically, the preparation of the soybean paste is done by dissolving salt in water to give brine, immersing cakes of boiled soybeans in the brine in a crock for a predetermined time period, withdrawing the cakes of boiled soybeans from the crock, and allowing the cakes of boiled soybeans to ferment in a separate crock for a predetermined time period.
The soybean paste thus prepared is stored in that state in the crock or in a separate vessel in a refrigerator.
Because the soybean paste is a fermented food and is likely to undergo putrefaction during storage, its state requires frequent monitoring. If it is not managed carefully, the soybean paste may frequently become putrefied and be rendered worthless.
This biological vulnerability is the main barrier to the commercial distribution of the soybean paste.